Differences - July 14, 2023

The second batch of Pinot Grigio is coming along nicely but it is a very different wine than the first batch. The difference in the winemaking process is not insignificant.

The grapes were picked during the same harvest, crushed in Chilé at the same time, and delivered to my distributor in the same delivery. The juice was refrigerated and delivered to me in two different batches, a total of 4 55-gallon drums.

The first batch was a different style of winemaking for me. I wanted to make a very light, refreshing Pinot Grigio for summer drinking. To lighten the body and bring the alcohol by volume down I added acidulated water. This is a percentage of water to tartaric acid, one of the few acids in wine and the most prevalent. This not only lightened the body, and the color, but it also lightened the flavors, enhancing the natural citrus flavor characteristics.

In the second batch, the berries were lower in sugar and the acid was higher than in the first batch even though they were part of the same harvest. I did not add acidulated water, and did not add any tartaric acid and yet the pH is about 3.3. The wine is a darker color, much softer on the palate, and has a bit more body than the first batch.

Last week the taste was sweet but I had the help so we racked it anyway. We racked from one stainless steel tank to the other and because I am inpatient I managed to put a hole in the gasket on the tank we were pumping into.

Apparently we stirred up the yeast just enough during racking for it to sustain the last bit of fermentation and now the residual sugar is gone and there is some effervescence in the wine. I added the bentonite slurry to clarify the wine while it is still effervescing in hope I won’t lose that characteristic. I replaced the lid gasket and albeit crooked, the lid is back on the tank securely.

By next week, I will be able to pump the first bit of the new Pinot Grigio into sixtels so that I can have it in the kegerator onboard Ivy for serving at The Cheesiest Happy Hour.

Peace and Cool Breezes,

Sharon